UMUC ENGL102 paper 1

Topic for Paper 1: How is a literary theme represented in a
short
story? You will develop a paper that answers this question
and
demonstrates the following outcomes for writing and
literature. You
will be able to

Analyze literature for a purpose
Distinguish digital or print materials through annotation to
demonstrate reading and summary skills
Identify a theme in a short story
Identify one to three examples in the story that support the
theme
Write a thesis statement that clearly identifies the title
of a story,
its author, the theme, and what the paper will discuss about
the story
and the theme
Write clear topic sentences for paragraphs that let the
reader know
what the paragraph will discuss
Write paragraphs that explain how the examples from the
story support the theme
Arrange a paper by presenting paragraphs in a logical and
interesting fashion
Write sentences in standard American English that clearly
express ideas
Demonstrate the MLA style of formatting in the layout of a
paper
Demonstrate the MLA style of formatting by documenting
material from
the story within the paper and on a Work Cited page
Explain what you have learned about your writing process in
a clear
and logical fashion

Overview of the Workshop Format for Paper 1

Writing this paper will be done in a process that allows you
to
practice and develop your writing skills in the discussions.
During
Weeks 1 through 4, you will work on your paper in the
classroom,
receive feedback from your instructor, and build your paper,
part-by-part, into your final version. It will allow you
time over
this period to get to know and develop your writing process
through a
workshop format as you will be able to revise and edit the
different
sections as you go along, thereby demonstrating the writing
skills
needed for that particular section of the paper.

To be successful in this process, you must be active and
engaged in
the discussions and post in a timely fashion. That way, you
can
successfully demonstrate the weekly skills and be building
your paper.

Week 1: Critical Reading Strategies and Selection of Topic.
During
Week 1, you will cover strategies to help you with critical
reading,
including techniques for reading and annotating digital
materials. To
prepare you for working with your topic for the paper, you
will work
on these strategies in Week 1 (and throughout the course).
During Week
1, you will study the concept of theme and the genre of the
short
story. You will choose your short story and theme from the
list
provided by your instructor.

Week 2: Thesis. Your thesis statement should include the
story and the
theme. You will workshop the thesis of your paper during
Week 2 in the
discussions. Outlining and organizational strategies will
also be
covered.

Week 3: Development. The development or body of the paper
will focus
on finding examples in the story that support the theme and
then
explaining in your paper how they do so. During Week 3, you
will
workshop strategies for developing body paragraphs in the
discussion.
Except for the stories themselves, you will be developing
this
material through your own observations; you are not to use
outside
sources for this material.

Week 4: Sentence Level and MLA. Your writing should be
carefully
proofed for sentence-level concerns. Your final paper should
be
formatted and documented according to MLA documentation in
the form of
parenthetical citations and a Works Cited page. During Week
4, you
will resources for these areas. In the discussion, you will
continue
to workshop these areas. You will submit the final paper at
the end of
Week 4, along with your Reflection on your writing process
(see
below).

Hints: Remember that your reader has read the story and is
familiar
with it. You do not have to spend time on summary. Instead,
your
development should explain and analyze how the theme is
demonstrated
in your story.

Special Hint about Plot: Be aware that a paper about a piece
of
literature is NOT a plot summary. Your plot summary, if you must have
one, should provide only the details necessary to highlight
the parts
of the story which help to develop your paper, such as a
short
paragraph of five to six sentences.

Reflection on your Writing Process: On a separate page of
your
submission, provide an overview of your writing process for
this essay
and what you have learned about your writing process by
developing
your paper. Also note two areas which you would like
feedback on, such
as thesis statement and topic sentences.

When you are satisfied that your paper and your reflection
are
complete, upload your work to the Assignments Folder within
the link
“Paper 1” by the deadline.

Word Count: 500-750 words

Due Date: Paper 1 is due at the end of Week 4.